


Choose The One That Means The Most

by howtosingit



Series: 30 Days of Tarlos/30 Songs of Tarlos [20]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Boys In Love, Established Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, M/M, POV Outsider, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:22:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24833785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howtosingit/pseuds/howtosingit
Summary: “And while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to / I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too"*Owen prides himself on his close relationship with his son, but even he can’t figure out what’s been bothering TK all week.30 Days of Tarlos/30 Songs of Tarlos - Day 20: “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Owen Strand & TK Strand
Series: 30 Days of Tarlos/30 Songs of Tarlos [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1770025
Comments: 26
Kudos: 277





	Choose The One That Means The Most

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this fic came from a line at the end of Bellakitse's [To Love You This Well](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24007720), which is my absolute favorite Tarlos fic in the entire world. I won’t tell you the line, as I don’t want to spoil anything, but hopefully you can figure it out (and if you haven’t read Stef’s fic, go do that immediately, it's an actual masterpiece)!

—————

Owen prides himself on his close relationship with his son. 

It hasn’t always been that way; in the past, he’s put his work and, sometimes, his own selfishness first. He knows that he’s hurt TK in ways that he’ll always regret and if he could, in any way, go back and rectify the mistakes of his past, he would, but he knows that he can’t. All they can do is move forward, and ever since he almost lost the most important person in his life twice in the span of a few months, he has done everything in his power to be by TK’s side whenever he needs him. 

Ever since TK returned to the 126 after his injury, they have built a relationship that, Owen hopes, they can both take pride in. Even when TK moved in with Carlos a year ago, around the one year anniversary of them transferring to Texas, their father-son relationship has continued to strengthen. The two of them have built a family in Austin, and Owen has never felt more at-peace in his entire life. 

That is, except for the past few days. 

He can tell that something is going on with TK, he just can’t pinpoint what it might be. TK has seemed distracted more often than usual, spacing out during dinner with the crew and spending a lot of time off on his own during the routine cleanings of the firehouse. He’s not being strictly anti-social, completely willing to talk to anyone who engages with him. Owen’s just noticed that in the past few days, TK hasn’t initiated much of his interactions with other people, content to just sit quietly by himself instead of hang out with the group. It’s very unlike his son.

Owen would worry that he’s had a falling out with someone in the 126, but all of the team’s interactions seem normal enough. After two years, they’re a close-knit family, and just like a family, they have their good days and their bad days. This doesn’t seem like that though, and Owen’s skin itches with the need to know what’s going on with his son.

He’s also considered that it might be a problem outside of the firehouse, but just yesterday Carlos stopped by for a quick lunch at the station, and that thought quickly died in Owen’s mind. TK and Carlos have pretty much been inseparable since the solar flares, and this week has been no exception. When they’re together, it’s kind of like no one else exists around them. They’ve been the topic of too many jokes for it to really affect them anymore, so instead they revel in their relationship and all of the “gross, cheesy, honeymoon-eyed romance” that defines it. 

So, basically, in conclusion, after three days of really odd behavior, Owen doesn’t have a clue what might be taking up so much space in TK’s head. Though, with their history of miscommunication and TK’s turbulent behavior, he knows he’s reaching the point where he’s going to have to address it.

Except, in another unexpected move, TK is actually the one that approaches him.

He’s in his office, laid out on the couch reading a number of reports sent over from the Chief’s office, when there’s a light knock on his door. He glances up to see TK standing there. 

“Hey, Dad, you got a minute?” TK says, and Owen notices the tense set of his shoulders and the way that he bites his bottom lip. He rises up to sit on the couch, tossing the report aside to give his son his full attention.

“Of course,” he says, and TK huffs out a breath, stepping into the office and shutting the door behind him. Owen raises an eyebrow, wondering what could be going on. “What’s on your mind, son?”

Instead of answering, TK begins to pace back and forth in front of the window, his hands in his pockets as he breathes in and out deeply. Owen stays on the couch, watching him. He knows his son, and he knows it’s best to just let TK control the pace of this conversation, so that he can be as comfortable as possible. He’s happy to wait, no matter how long it takes. 

Suddenly, TK moves towards him, reaching into his pocket. Without a word, he drops a small square box down on the coffee table in front of him before retreating back towards the door. Owen looks down at it, instantly recognizing what it is. He swallows, his heart beating, as he reaches to open the box. Inside sits a simple, beautiful silver ring, shining in the light of his office.

He can feel tears start to form in his eyes as he looks down at the box in his hand, a symbol of how far TK has come in the past two years. “Is this..?” he asks, looking up at TK for confirmation.

“I’m going to ask Carlos to marry me,” TK breathes out, his wide green eyes locked on him. Owen can feel a small smile forming on his face, but he can’t figure out how to respond to his son’s reveal. Unnerved by the silence, TK begins to wring his hands together, biting on his lower lip. “Say something,” his son says, voice cracking. “Please.”

“Come here, son,” Owen says, patting the couch next to him. TK moves towards him, his body tense, and takes a seat by his side, his leg beginning to shake as soon as he’s seated. Owen reaches out to steady him with a hand on his knee. “I’m so proud of you, TK.”

TK’s eyes shoot up to meet his own, and he watches as his son lets out a deep breath that he’s apparently been holding this entire time. “Really?” he asks, and Owen can see tears in his eyes. “I know the last time I told you, you weren’t crazy about the idea.” 

Owen’s mind darts back to that day in New York. It’s one of his least favorite days of his life; he still remembers the way his stomach dropped when TK told him that he had bought a ring, as if he knew that it wasn’t something to celebrate. More than anything, he wishes that he would have done more to save his son from an incredible heartbreak. He may not have been able to then, but he certainly knows that he doesn’t need to now. 

With a sigh, he pulls TK towards him, wrapping his arm around his shoulder as his son folds himself into his side. Owen gently rubs his arm, hoping to soothe TK’s concern over his reaction.

“I’ve thought so much about the kind of life that I wanted for you,” Owen begins, pressing his cheek against TK’s soft brown hair. “It’s changed a lot over the years, as you grew and discovered who you were, but there’s always been a part that has never altered. TK, I’ve always wanted you to be happy. I’ve always wanted you to find someone who knows how special you are, how much love you have to give. Someone who would pick you up whenever you fall down, and support you and love you the way you are meant to be loved, like it’s the only thing worth doing. That’s what I’ve always wanted for you, and two years ago, I didn’t see that for you.

“But I do now,” he continues, feeling a tear fall onto his cheek as his voice wavers slightly. “Carlos is every single thing that I have ever wanted for you. He’s kind, he’s funny, he’s so good, and he’s completely devoted to you. I see the way he looks at you, the way you gravitate towards each other like you just can’t help but to be near one another. 

“You’ve always had such a big heart, TK, and you just give it away, sharing your love with everyone around you. And as your father, that’s always been really scary for me. I’ve always worried about what would happen when you had nothing left to give. But, I’ve come to realize that with Carlos, you’ll never run out of love, because he’s given his heart to you, to help fill yours. And you’ve given him yours, and I know that means you’re going to be okay. You’ll never be empty, as long as you have each other.

“I’m so proud of you,” Owen finishes, squeezing TK closer to him when he feels his son start to shake with sobs. “You suffered the worst kind of heartbreak imaginable, and you were still brave enough to find love again, to let someone else in. To let the _right_ someone else in. And, TK, that is all I have ever wanted for you.”

When he finishes, Owen wraps his son in a tight hug, tears falling down both of their faces as they hold onto each other. They stay like that for a long time, each of them overwhelmed by the significance of this moment, and everything it took for them to get here. He feels like he’s waited for this day forever, and he’s so, so happy that it’s finally come.

TK and Carlos come into the station the next day, fingers intertwined and giant lovestruck smiles on their faces. Owen can’t help but to notice that they’re both wearing a ring, and his heart soars when TK explains to the team how they both proposed to each other the night before. While TK is pulled into a group huddle by the crew, Owen can’t help but to pull Carlos into a hug as well, his eyes once again tearing up with how happy he feels.

“Thank you for loving him the way he’s always deserved,” he says into his future son-in-law’s ear, pulling back to see a wide smile on Carlos’s face, tears in his eyes as well.

“Thank you for bringing him to me so that I can,” Carlos replies, his voice shaking with emotion as he looks down at the ring on his finger.

As they turn to join the group hug, Owen can’t help to think that while it may not have been the easiest journey, he and TK really did end up in the place where they’ve always belonged.

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://howtosingit.tumblr.com/)


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